1 A2 neutral
To remove liquid from something wet by twisting it tightly.
"She wrung out the wet swimsuit and hung it on the line to dry."
separable
wring out
B1 neutral separable transitive
To twist and squeeze something wet to remove the liquid, or to extract something with great effort.
In plain English
To twist something wet (like a towel) so the water comes out.
What does "wring out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To obtain something from someone with great effort or pressure, often unwillingly.
"The detective managed to wring out a confession after hours of questioning."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To extract the maximum possible benefit, performance, or value from something.
"The engineering team tried to wring out every last bit of performance from the old engine."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To twist something in opposite directions with both hands to force out the water inside.
Actually means
To twist something wet (like a towel) so the water comes out.
Usage tip
Literally used with wet fabric or cloths. Figuratively used to mean extracting something (such as a confession or money) with great effort. The figurative sense has a slightly negative tone, suggesting force or pressure.
Words that pair with "wring out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
cloth towel sponge confession information shirt
How to conjugate "wring out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
wring out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
wrings out
he/she/it
Past simple
wringed out
yesterday
Past participle
wringed out
have + pp
-ing form
wringing out
continuous
Hear "wring out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "wring out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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